Choice Health Centre
  • Home
  • Chiropractic
    • About Chiropractic
    • Dr-Erin Kempt-Sutherland-DC
    • Dr-Brigitte MacPhail-DC
    • Dr-Justine Landry-DC
    • Dr-Lindsay Barker-DC
    • Dr-Ryan Robichaud-DC
    • Dr-Arielle Petropolis-DC
  • Physiotherapy
    • About Physiotherapy
    • Saba Chishti-PT
    • Stephanie Brown-PT
    • Laura Gfeller-PT
    • Kendra Brown-PT
    • Daniel Mollins-PT
    • Heidi Kent-PT
  • Massage Therapy
    • About Massage Therapy
    • Kira Sernoskie-RMT
    • Melissa Macaulay-RMT
    • Amber Harper-RMT
    • Michael Chappelle-RMT
  • Disciplines
    • Pedorthics
    • Naturopathic Medicine >
      • Dr-Anna D'Intino, ND
      • Dr-Lauren MacIntosh, ND
      • Prolotherapy
      • IV Therapy
      • Food Sensitivity Testing
      • B12 Injections
    • Acupuncture >
      • Amanda Conrad-Acu
  • Services
    • Women's Pelvic Health Physiotherapy
    • Complete Concussion Management Halifax
    • Shockwave Therapy
    • Wireless Muscle Stimulation
    • Active Release Technique®
    • Custom Foot Orthotics
    • Graston Technique
    • Gait Analysis
    • Low Intensity Laser Therapy
    • Orthopedic Bracing
    • Webster Technique
    • Infrared Sauna Halifax
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Book Online
    • Join Our Team
  • Blog

Off Season Golf Training

11/20/2012

0 Comments

 
The fairways are a blanket of snow. Pin placements are a distant memory. What can you do in the off-season to get ready for your April tee-off? Being the final issue of chiropractic corner for the 2012 season, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss off-season training. Many recreational golfers often trade in the clubs for their hockey gear at the end of the golf season. However, choosing not to work on your golf fitness in the off-season may prove to be costly to your health and your game. Like in any other sport, athletes will spend their off season (winter for golfers) strengthening the specific muscles used in the mechanics of their sport…why wouldn’t you? The golf swing relies upon core strength, endurance and proper engagement requiring elements of stabilization, control and coordination. Therefore, it is important to address all of these factors during your off-season preparation. Core conditioning should be an integral part of any off-season training regimen. Performance of ballistic high acceleration movements, such as the golf swing, places great demand on core musculature activation and stabilization. As discussed in previous issues, core weakness is a major source of ‘energy leaks’ in the golf swing reducing power and distance as well as a major source for the onset of repetitive strain injuries and low back pain. As you begin to develop a regular off season golf exercise regimen, it is important to concentrate on functional exercises specific to golf. Functional exercises mimic the actual demands of the golf swing combining movements designed to strengthen as well as improve the neuromuscular function of muscles used during the golf swing. Four important components of functional training for golf include flexibility, core development, balance, and strength and power. Integrating all of these components in your training will develop your skills in each of these areas and prepare you for the upcoming season. For the purpose of this article I will illustrate examples of exercises useful for development of core strength as well as a pair of functional exercises that will help develop strength and power in your golf swing. Before engaging in any of the following exercises you must activate a functional abdominal brace. This brace will stabilize your spine allowing you to perform efficient motion while limiting excessive spinal stress and unwanted accessory movements. An easy way to properly activate the abdominal brace is to ‘bear down’ as if someone were going to punch you in the belly. You only need about 20-30% of that contraction for an effective abdominal brace. For each exercise, work up to 3 sets of 8-15 repetitions. Core Development exercises:
​
1. Curl-up Lie on your back on the floor with your left leg straight and flat on the floor. Your right knee should be bent and your right foot flat. Place your hands palms down on the floor underneath the natural arch in your lower back. (Don’t flatten your back.)
Picture
Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor without bending your lower back or spine, and hold this position for 1 to 2 seconds and return to the starting position.
Picture
2. Side Plank Lying on your left side, get up on your left forearm/elbow. Make sure your arm is directly under your shoulder. With your top foot in front of the bottom foot, slowly lift your hip off the floor until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line.
Picture
Repeat on your right side. Work up to holding the plank for 3 sets of 30 seconds. 3. Bird-Dog Get on your hands and knees (hands directly below your shoulders, knees directly below your hips). Keep your back straight.
Picture
Slowly extend your right leg backwards, and your left arm forward.
Picture
Hold for 5 seconds and repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Be sure not to rotate your pelvis or lift your arm and leg too high resulting in excessive unwanted low back extension. Golf-specific Exercises: Full Swing Drill with tubing Secure tubing just above shoulder height in a closed door and position yourself far enough away from the door until there is tension in the tubing. Stand in a golf address position with your feet slightly more than shoulder width apart with your hands positioned towards the top of the backswing at shoulder height.
Picture
Maintain tension in the tubing and slowly initiate the downswing by engaging your core musculature and continue the motion until your hands reach past the point of impact (3-4 second count).
Picture
Maintain tension in the tubing and slowly return your hands to the top of the backswing (3-4 second count). Lunge with a twist Assume a standing position with your arms straight out in front of you, holding an iron parallel to the floor at shoulder height.
Picture
As you step forward with one leg, rotate your upper body to that same side, holding the iron at shoulder height throughout the entire motion.
Picture
Return to starting position and do the opposite leg. If you are consistent with these exercises while adding other exercises for strength, balance, and flexibility, you will see improvement in your golf swing speed, power and distance in a very short period of time as well as significantly reduce your chance of injury. You should contact your healthcare before starting any new exercises regime.
by Dr. Warren Hefford
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Choice Health Centre

    A team of health care providers who believe that the best way to treat your needs is from a holistic approach.

    p: 1-902-404-3668

      ​Subscribe

      Get our monthly newsletter by email for useful info and tips to help you stay healthy.
    Submit

    Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    September 2012
    May 2012

    Categories

    All
    Active Release Technique
    Allergies
    ART
    Backpack
    Back Pain
    Bracing
    Bursitis
    Carpal Tunnel
    Chiropractic
    Chronic Illness
    Concussion
    Dairy Foods
    Digestion
    Exercise
    Foot Pain
    Golf
    Gua Sha Therapy
    Headache
    Health Benefits
    Heel Pain
    Hip Pain
    Iliotibial Band
    Injury
    Intramuscular Stimulation
    Joint
    Lactose Intolerance
    Massage
    Massage Therapy
    Migraines
    Muscles
    Musculoskeletal Injuries
    Neck Pain
    Osteopathy
    Paediatric
    Physical Activity
    Physiotherapy
    Plantar Fasciitis
    Posture
    Qi Gong
    Seasonal Affective Disorder
    Shockwave
    Soft Tissue
    Spine
    Tendonitis
    Tennis Elbow
    Tension
    Texting
    The Sciatic Nerve
    Traditional Chinese Medicine
    Traditional Chinese Therapy
    Training
    Trauma
    Webster Technique
    Women's Pelvic Health

    RSS Feed

Choice Health Centre Logo Small
FAQ's
MEDIA
CONTACT
BLOG
Join our mailing list today!

    Choice Newsletter

Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Home
  • Chiropractic
    • About Chiropractic
    • Dr-Erin Kempt-Sutherland-DC
    • Dr-Brigitte MacPhail-DC
    • Dr-Justine Landry-DC
    • Dr-Lindsay Barker-DC
    • Dr-Ryan Robichaud-DC
    • Dr-Arielle Petropolis-DC
  • Physiotherapy
    • About Physiotherapy
    • Saba Chishti-PT
    • Stephanie Brown-PT
    • Laura Gfeller-PT
    • Kendra Brown-PT
    • Daniel Mollins-PT
    • Heidi Kent-PT
  • Massage Therapy
    • About Massage Therapy
    • Kira Sernoskie-RMT
    • Melissa Macaulay-RMT
    • Amber Harper-RMT
    • Michael Chappelle-RMT
  • Disciplines
    • Pedorthics
    • Naturopathic Medicine >
      • Dr-Anna D'Intino, ND
      • Dr-Lauren MacIntosh, ND
      • Prolotherapy
      • IV Therapy
      • Food Sensitivity Testing
      • B12 Injections
    • Acupuncture >
      • Amanda Conrad-Acu
  • Services
    • Women's Pelvic Health Physiotherapy
    • Complete Concussion Management Halifax
    • Shockwave Therapy
    • Wireless Muscle Stimulation
    • Active Release Technique®
    • Custom Foot Orthotics
    • Graston Technique
    • Gait Analysis
    • Low Intensity Laser Therapy
    • Orthopedic Bracing
    • Webster Technique
    • Infrared Sauna Halifax
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Book Online
    • Join Our Team
  • Blog